Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Wednesday, December 18, expressed his agreement to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s decision to defer the signing of the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
“It is part of the legislative process and the system of checks and balances in our Constitution,” Escudero said in a statement.
“The Executive is well within its rights and prerogatives to review, study and make line item vetoes - as is usually done every year with the General Appropriations Bill - especially given its length, complexity and detail,” the Senate chief stressed.
Sen. Grace Poe, Senate finance committee chief, said the move is also a sign of “a healthy democracy.”
It was Poe who led the deliberations into the proposed P 6.325 trillion national budget for 2025 in the Senate and during the bicameral conference committee meeting.
“This is a sign of a healthy democracy. We have to support the checks and balances of our budgetary process. The President has the authority to assess the budget and approve or veto the proposed GAA,” Poe said, in a separate statement.
“I believe his economic managers are giving the president the best advice possible given the situation. The GAA is the most important piece of legislation that can determine our economic stability and our GDP (gross domestic product) growth in 2025,” she pointed out.
In a statement, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced that the signing of the 2025 budget law, which was initially set on December 20, has been postponed.
“The ongoing assessment is being led by the President himself, in consultation with the heads of major departments,” Malacañang said in a statement.
“While we cannot yet announce the date of the signing, we can now confirm that certain items and provisions of the national budget bill will be vetoed in the interest of public welfare, to conform with the fiscal program, and in compliance with laws,” the Palace official further said.
The President earlier vowed to restore the P10-billion that was deducted from the proposed budget of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Marcos said the budget cut from the DepEd’s computerization program was “contrary to the policy direction” of his administration on education.